Lack of co-ordination hampers PNG drought relief

7:06 pm on 21 January 2016

A Papua New Guinea MP has lamented a lack of co-ordination in national drought relief assistance efforts.

Papua New Guinea MP Sam Basil.

Papua New Guinea MP Sam Basil. Photo: Supplied

Sam Basil's comment comes as communities in many of PNG's 89 districts continue to struggle to meet basic food and living needs due to a prolonged drought.

Complaints are emerging from affected communities about a lack of relief assistance.

Mr Basil says that of central government-allocated district funds, only a small amount has been received out of which disaster relief is expected to come.

He says as well there is often a lack of logistic co-ordination of road and air freight of relief to communities in need.

"I think the national disaster services, under the national government, should have taken control of the situation. But I think the provinces are doing their little bit, and each district is diong its little bit. Sometimes we find that we're doing the same things, putting relief supplies into the same village and I think there is no proper co-ordination between the national government, the provincial government and the district."

Mr Basil says that higher altitude parts of his district of Bulolo are badlty affected by the drought. Relief is being periodically delivered to these communities by aircraft with the use of district funds.

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